A brilliant performance from Jordan Pickford was not enough to deny Alexis Sanchez, whose two goals gave Arsenal an ultimately comfortable win.
They must now beat Everton on Sunday and hope that Liverpool fail to beat Middlesbrough - if they draw, Arsenal will need a two goal swing - or Watford beat Manchester City and there's a goal difference swing of at least five and perhaps six, in order to reach the Champions League for a 20th consecutive season.
Arsenal did not start at all well tonight, lacking pace, conviction and intensity. They did still create and waste a fair few chances, Rob Holding's miss on the stroke of half-time a particular oversight, but in the main, it was not difficult to Sunderland to keep them at bay.
Nor was there much improvement after half-time, well though Mesut Ozil prompted. But eventually, on 73 minutes, Granit Xhaka and he combined to set-up an open goal for Sanchez. And, eight minutes later, Sanchez scored again to end the contest, the score kept at two thanks principally to Pickford.
So Sunderland trudge on, while Arsenal have now won four in a row. Though a top-four finish is unlikely, if they can win that last game, they will at least prepare for the Cup Final in good heart.
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